Manhattan played in 1926 by Vee Lawnhurst on a Welte Player Piano Roll2012_05_31_17_11_11.wmv

[@bachtube11]

Oh! Its a Welte! They had had a secret (pneumatic ?) recording device to be abel to produce a paper-roll with the exact timing and the dynamic of the player hammerd into the keys ;-) At least the told everybody so, but the special record"M. Welte & Söhne"ing device was destroied during bombardment in WWII. There is no construction plan and nothing left, but the story about it. The story tells that the recording device worked full automatic and outputs a paper roll for a Welte player piano. Playing this roll sounded exacltly like the human player whos performance was recorded. So it seems they had built a kind of precursor of a midi-device, only made with pneumatik and simple electric components, without any transistor or microchip in the 40ies or even earlyer. I'm not convinced that it was full automatic recording on paper rolls, but rather writing with a stylus on paper, And the guys in the "M. Welte & Söhne" manufacture had good skills in translating the jagged lines on paper into corresponding holes on paper, so that the pianist who was told, that they direct record his performance was convinced they did so. What do you think ?

[@AvitalShtap]

It's so amazing that their performance is immortalized this way!!!

[@dennisspinkshappyforbusker2523]

Very nice to hear 99 year old music on a wonderful mechanical piano player🎶❤️👌.

[@pennychrisman3294]

Such an inspiring musician❗️ she had an amazing career!

[@davidoppenheim3979]

Thanks for the explanation of Childs and Abie's Irish Rose references in this great song! The lyrics mean so much more to me now that I know the context in which it was written.

[@timmclaughlin8420]

Outstanding! Thanks for sharing.

[@beaglybeagle]

Oh! This is very kool! Thanks for sharing.

[@methawinpr]

Lovely song.Thanks for shared it.

[@a320214]

Lovely ❤

[@Arqueiroify]

Yes , it is lovely ! I'm enchanted

[@leonardlevie897]

I'll take this version of Manhattan!

[@AeolianHall1]

Thanks much for your comments. As far as the Humana version is concerned, let me say that I am choosing the speed and loudness at every instant, just like the conductor of an orchestra. I assume you are referring to a Lauter Humana which was a quality player piano in its day. If you are playing a roll on your piano, and don't agree with the tempo printed on it, you are free to change it as much as you want. I also have other Vee Lawnhurst rolls on.

[@AvitalShtap]

Oh my Goodness - good job then!!! Your sense of tempo is always great

[@joybreeden366]

THANKS....so much

[@Jamesmac30]

Excellent- thanks, this is a better arrangement than Edythe Baker's, of which there are two youtube uploads, but the Humana piano version is a faster tempo for some reason, and it's the same arrangement.

[@JimInRoses]

I don't know much about the Welte system, either Red or Green, except that it's economical with the expression holes because it has a system of latches that hold the expression at the last setting. I heard about somebody who bought a new roll for his Welte at vast expense, only to find that the roll locked treble and bass at mf right at the beginning, then there wasn't another expression change in the entire roll.

[@davidoppenheim3979]

This "locked in" expression coding was most probably inserted in recent years by a person who offers recut rolls standard non expression 88 note roll performances to "beef up" the normally "flat sounding " standard piano rolls when being played on a reproducing piano . Most people simply either play fully automatic Welte or DeLuxe reproducing piano rolls on their Welte pianos or else play standard QRS type rolls without moving the expression levers and buttons that are provided for this very reason. I doubt that Welte would have issued original reproducing piano rolls to their customers like this. Just does not make sense.

[@JimInRoses]

David Oppenheim well yes. The latch lock is a feature of the Welte system. But it made it easier to create what was presumably a scam. For Duo-Art you have to punch expression holes all the way through the music so you might as well vary them a bit. Lack of holes > ppp and if more than 4 or so notes are struck simultaneously on the same side of the stack there's barely enough wind to sound them at all. And I heard the story at least 40 years ago.

[@meb3153]

Thanks!

[@spiritbrother]

lovely!

[@Jamesmac30]

Thanks for the info - I didn't realise that the speed could be changed - I thought it was set to how the original pianist played the piece.

[@davidoppenheim3979]

Most all player piano roll speeds can be slowed down or sped up, but certain Welte Classical reproducing piano rolls must be played at the exact specified tempo or else the expression will not be right.

[@AeolianHall1]

Your earlier comment about Edythe Baker's performance helped to make me put this one on.

[@theoldcrab6682]

The Playwright role 391-A has this identical arrangement, although it's not for a reproducing piano like this one.

[@jim02026]

This is a pleasant version! I have a version of "Manhattan" on the U.S. label. I believe it's played by Fred Parsons but not certain. I'll have to check the box to be sure. I will post it once my piano is out of the shop. I am having the cabinetry refinished.

[@hotsickle]

I like this version better :{)

[@MrCrowebobby]

Better at .75 speed, I think.